Automobile lock



Feb. 2s, 192s.

" G. c. MATHER l-:T AL

' AUTOMOBILE LOCK 3 v t d 1 71 z for@ @u rdon l/lf file?" Zie 5 iPatented Feb. 28, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,660,931 PATENT OFFICE.

GUBDON o. MANIER, or nETnoi'r, MICHIGAN, AND ORVILLE s. HEBSHEY, OF CHI-CAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoRs To HERSHEY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F DEN- van,COLORADO, A CORPORATION oF COLORADO.

ATOMOBILE Loox.

' Application led May 6,l 1925.` Serial No. 28,300.

whenever the lock is operated to interfere with the use of an associatedmechanism. It may prove objectionable 1nl some cases, however, to.interconnect the switch and lock in a manner whereby operation ot theformer is dependent upon vthat of the latter, and so to meet any specialcontingency which may arise the present lock is equipped with anindependently operable auxiliary switch control which maybe used ,in anemergency. Such a control may act upon the main switch which normally 1sopened or closed only when the lock isactuated in response to movementsfof its operating l1ne ansor upon a supplementary switch whichisinterposed at any convenient point in the motor ignitrol `of this kinditis possible to 'stop the motor vwithout disabling any of the remain-ving units with which the'locl may be associated. VOur,v invention isaccordingly concerned with the provision of Aa lock having thevcharacteristics noted, and with various.

.other objects and purposes which will hereinafter appear.- Theexempliication -of our invention 404 shown'in the accompanying'drawingis such as may be associated 'with a steeringfmechanism. It is designedfor attachment to a fixed part of the vehicle and to the column throughwhichthe steering post is extended.-

The description to follow 4will accordin ly referto a lock which isadapted especlzly for co-operation with the steering mechanism,although, as above. suggested, it may be elsewhere employed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the present lock and steeringcolumn with which itis associated;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the locktion-circuit. By the use of anauxiliary con-- Ision of the spring 11.

ing bolt -advanced into, engaging 'relation with the steering post; I

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4; i y

, F ig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4.-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a detail, partly in section, looking toward one Vend of theswitch.

The present lock is vcontained within a housing A through which is anopening forl the accommodation of the column B within which is extendedthe post G 4which connects the steering wheel with the swiveled runningwheels, usually at the `trent of an automobile. Secured fast to the postisa collar D having therein a recess or socket 6 which may be brought.into register with an opening 7 formed in the column. i

In this .invention we are not concerned' particularly with thel form orkind of lockn ing mechanism which is employed. It* will suffice to notethat the structure shown in the drawing includes a bolt"8 which isadapted to be Aprojected through the' opening 7 intoA the socket 6 so asto lock the steering post against rotation. This bolt is associatedyieldingly with a hollow plunger9 wherein- 1s accommodated acompression` spring 10 which tendsy to project the bolt into 4lockingposition. A second spring 11 exerts a force upon the plunger in-an`opposite direction so as to retract the plunger Whenever conditions willpermit. Manipulative means by which thel plunger movements arecontrolled may take the form of a handle 12 with which is associated acam or eccentric 13 adapted to bear against a shoulder 14 which isprovided on the plunger, the handle being thereby' adapted to move theplunger against the tenments, however, are subject to thel control ofV alock comprising a cylinder 15 and a removable key 1G for co-operatingwith the tumblers thereof. At the rear end ofl the cylinder is a lug 17adapted when turnedl in response to movements -ot the key to exert a camaction on a pin 18 which ismovable laterally toward 'the plunger. A wire`spring 19 anchored within a groove of the plunger tends to project'thepin outwardly where it is disposed in part within a lateral passage,thereby lpreventing returnmove I ment of the plunger. If,.however, thecy1- inder lock be rotated so as to advance the The reverse `movepininwardly the required distance, the plunger, together with the lockingbolt, may

recede to thereby restore the steering mech anism to 'operativeness Alock answering to the preceding description may advantageously beemployed .in connection with our invention. It may, of course, takeother forms, and we would have it noted that so far as the presentinvention is concered the details of the lock construc-l tion arerelatively unimportant. The features of novelty with which we areparticularlyconcerned is the ignition switch which may beinterconnectedavith the lock so as to open or close the circuit formingpart of the motor ignition system.

As shown, this switch consists of a frame 2O in which is carried aninsulating block 21 for the mounting of a pair of spacedbrushes thesteering post.

22 and 23, each having one end. inwardly inclined and overhanging theblock. Suitable posts 24 are'provided for the circuit wires to connectwith. A slot 25 4is also provided in the frame in register with a slot26 formed in one of the housing walls adjacent the plunger 9. Extendingthrough the two slots is a stud 27 secured to the plunger and providedwith a. head 28 which is adapted to be moved into contact with theinwardly inclined ends of the two brushes, thereby completing a circuittherebetween. The switch is thus closed when the plunger is in itsnormal or retracted position, such as occurs when the locking bolt isdisengaged from With the same switch we may also associate anindependent auxiliary control means, the same comprising a stem 29 whichpasses through a suitable aperture 'in the lock housing to present ahead 30 in adjacent relation to the inner side of one o t' the twobrushes (see Figs. 4 and .5). A coil spring 3l may be associated withthe stem to normally hold the same in retracted position' where it.remains disengaged from the brush'Should the stem be manually advanced,however, by a pressure suliicient to overcome that of the spring 31, theassociatedbrush 22 will be lifted away'from contact with the stud head28, thereby breaking the circuit. A pressure may be continued upon thestem as long as necessary to stop the motor, but without requiring anyoperation of 'the lock which would affect a vital operating unit of theVautomobile. This auxiliary or emergency switch control will restoreitself to closediiposition the moment.

that pressure is released from the stem.

An auxiliary control of the-general kind just described may, ifjdesired,cooperate with a second switch which is also interposed in the motorignition circuit. Such a control should be conveniently located, as uponthe dash or instrument board.` The special conditions which renderdesirable the use .of an 'auxiliary control, whether associated with itsown switch or with a lock-switch of the general kind herein shown, wouldnot exist except for the hook-up existing between such apparatus as 'thesteering mechanism and the main or service ignition' switch. It isbecause this interconnection does not permit stopping of the motorwithout di'sablement of the steering that supplementary means shouldpreferably be employed in an emerlgency for'cutting'off operation of themotor alone. In using the terms open and closed with reference to themotor ignition circuit, we have in lnind the system of ignition mostgenerally employed, but knowing that magneto-equipped motors may beoperated on an open circuit which is the reverse i of the prevailingkind, we would have these terms properly interpreted to describe thetrue situation.

AFrom the preceding description, it should be apparent that the operatorhas at his com- .nand the main or regular .ignition switch and also asupplementary control means for operating the same switch in anemergency.'

According to our invention, ifa single switch be used, a duplexoperatlng means therefor is provided, and if two switches be employed,

then each may be equipped with its own control. A lock-switch of thekind contemplated may be profitably associated with any one of severalof the' vital mechanisms of an automobile, such as its rsteeringapparatus,

its motor ignition circuit, its gear 'transmis-v sion, or elsewhere, theresult in any suoli case being to disable the vehicle from operating, ifthe normal controls be used, or to bring the motor to a stop if only theauxiliary control be manipulated. The various details of construction asheretofore set forth are manifestly susceptible of embodiment in v formsother than the precise one shown, and any such modificatlons, 1n so faras they fall wlthin the purv1ew of the claims below, are

yto be considered as embraced within thel scribed.

2. In an automobile having a motor ignition circuit with Ian interposedswitch, a lock associated with an operating mechanism of the automobilein a manner to disable the use thereof, means interconnecting the switchand lock whereby both are operated together, and an independentlyoperable separate controlv means for 'opening the same switch,substantially as described.'

3. In an automobile having' a motor igni tion circuit with an interposedswitch, a

lock connected for operation with the switch, control means for thelock,.and an auxihary control means for the same switch 'operableindependently of the lock, ,substantially as described. y Y

4;. In an automobile having amotor ignition circuit with an interposedswitch, a lock connected' for operation with the switch,

.manipulativemeans for operating the lock and switch concurrently, andauxiliary manipulative means, including an opposingspring, for openingthe same switch independently of the lock manipulativemeans,substantially as described.Y Y

5.-In` an 'automobile having a motor ignir tion circuit with aninterposed switch, a lock associated with the switch, means connecting'the switch and lock whereby theymay be' operated together, 'and other-means indopendent 'or' the lock for opening the same switch at will,substantially as described.-

6. In an automobile havingnav motor ignition circuit with an interposedswitch, a loclr interconnected with the switch for conjoint .operationtherewitln'a 'single controlmeans for operating the lock and switch,andother.

means, sp1ing-opposed,-and independently operable of said control meansfor breaking the ignition circuit, 'substantially described. v

7. In an automobile h aving a'motor igniftion circuit with an interposedswitch, a lock interconnected with theswitch for conjoint. 'operationtherewith, a single control means foinoperating the lock and switch, andother "means .for breakingi the ignition circuit',

spring-opposed,and independently operable of'said control' means, andlocated,accessibly thereto, substantially as described.

8.' In an'automobile' having a motor ignition'circuit 'w1-th aninterposed switch,a lock vassociated therewith., a connection from thelock to the switch such that the latter is operated in response tomovements ot the former, a control means. for the 'same switch operableindependently of the lock, and ten- -sion means acting` normally tooppose movement ot' said control' means, substantial] y as described.

9. In an automobile having a motorignition circuit with an ,interposedswitch, 1a lock, means connecting` the lock and switch ina mannerwhereby the latter ifs,operatedin-respouse. to movements of the' former,the switch including in its assembly a yieldable brush', and anyauxiliary controlv means adapted for reciprocal movement tomovc thebrush' away from Acontact with. its associated parts whereby the switchmaybe independentlyl opened, substantially as described. v

10. In an automobile-having a motor vignition circuit with aninterposed' switch in which is comprised a' pair of spaced brushes and aconductor member movable into and out of engagement therewith, a lock,means connecting the conductor member with the lock whereby itis-moved"concurrently` there` with, and ari auxiliary'switch controlassociatedwith one brush' and adapted to remove -the'same fromengagement witli'tho conductor member whereby the electrical circuit may,be broken,A substantially as" dey scribed. 1

11. In an automobile having a motorignition circuit with an interposedswitch in which -isv comprised a movable conductor member and a pair ofbrushes. for .engagement thereby, one of'said brushes being yield# able,lock, a connection 'between the conformer is moved inresponseto-operation of the latter, -and independently operable coni trol meansassociated with the yieldable `brush in a mannerwhe'reby the brush mayyductor member and the lock such that the be removed from engagementwith, the' con! ductor member to thereby open the switch, substantially'as described.l

l2. -In an automobile having a motor ignition circuit 'with aninterposed switch in' which is included a pair of spaced insulatedbrushes each having'an-` unsupported .yieldl switch, a-.conductor'member adapted for movement toward and from the unsup- 'ported portionsof the` brushes-whereby vto establish -or disestablish an electricalconiiection therebetween, a movable 'mounting' between, a lock whichincludes a movableV bolt to which the. conductor member is lconnectedwhereby the member is moved in .relsponse to operation-of the lock,and-an auxil liary switch kcontrol in, cooperative relation to one ofthe brushes adapted to shift the same away from the conductor memberwhereby to break the electrical circuit, substantially as described.

eURnoNvc. MATHER, onvinnn s. HERsHEY.

able portion, a lock- 'associated lwith the

